If you are looking for an audio book that can help you make positive change in your attitudes and enable you to see life in a new way, this is your pick. Carol Dweck leads us through her research in motivation and the psychology of personality to show us that our mindset is no mere quirk of personality: it dictates our world.

Our mindset is how we become cynical or hopeful; it shapes what we believe we can achieve, our attitudes about working and relating to people; it shapes how we raise our children; and ultimately, it predicts whether we will fulfill our hidden potential.

The two mindsets Dweck outlines are that of a fixed mindset, and that of a growth mindset. If yours is fixed, you think your gifts and strengths are fixed--you got 'em or you don't. You constantly, and sometimes unintentionally, try to prove yourself to others. If yours is one of growth, you think you can develop and strengthen your gifts over time. This is the mindset of successful people.

Dweck adeptly demonstrates that our mindset begins in childhood and through adulthood, it steers everything from hobbies, relationships, parenting, and work. She shows how creative geniuses from every background use the growth mindset to get the results they want. More importantly, she shows us that we can change our mindset, no matter our stage in life. She also helps us apply this growth mindset in order to promote it in others that we influence.

Pragmatic and engaging, Mindset just might change what you think about yourself, and your future.

Carol Dweck is a distinguished professor of psychology at Stanford University and received her post-doctorate from Yale University. Her research focuses on motivation, personality, and development.

A leading expert in motivation and personality psychology, Carol Dweck has discovered in more than twenty years of research that our mindset is not a minor personality quirk: it creates our whole mental world. It explains how we become optimistic or pessimistic. It shapes our goals, our attitude toward work and relationships, and how we raise our kids, ultimately predicting whether or not we will fulfill our potential. Dweck has found that everyone has one of two basic mindsets.

If you have the fixed mindset, you believe that your talents and abilities are set in stone—either you have them or you don't. You must prove yourself over and over, trying to look smart and talented at all costs. This is the path of stagnation. If you have a growth mindset, however, you know that talents can be developed and that great abilities are built over time. This is the path of opportunity-and success.

Dweck demonstrates that mindset unfolds in childhood and adulthood and drives every aspect of our lives, from work to sports, from relationships to parenting. She reveals how creative geniuses in all fields—music, literature, science, sports, business—apply the growth mindset to achieve results. Perhaps even more important, she shows us how we can change our mindset at any stage of life to achieve true success and fulfillment. She looks across a broad range of applications and helps parents, teachers, coaches, and executives see how they can promote the growth mindset.

Highly engaging and very practical, Mindset breaks new ground as it leads you to change how you feel about yourself and your future.
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Quotes & Awards

“A good book is one whose advice you believe. A great book is one whose advice you follow. I have found Carol Dweck’s work on mindsets invaluable in my own life, and even life-changing in my attitudes toward the challenges that, over the years, become more demanding rather than less. This is a book that can change your life, as its ideas have changed mine.”

Robert J. Sternberg, IBM Professor of Education and Psychology at Yale University, director of the PACE Center of Yale University, and author of Successful Intelligence

“If you manage any people or if you are a parent (which is a form of managing people), drop everything and read Mindset.”

Guy Kawasaki, author of The Art of the Start and the blog How to Change the World

“A good book is one whose advice you believe. A great book is one whose advice you follow. This is a book that can change your life.”

Robert J. Sternberg, author of Teaching for Successful Intelligence

“Dweck provides a checklist to assess yourself and shows how a particular mindset can affect all areas of your life, from business to sports and love. The good news, says Dweck, is that mindsets are not set: at any time, you can learn to use a growth mindset to achieve success and happiness. This is a serious, practical book. Dweck’s overall assertion that rigid thinking benefits no one, least of all yourself, and that a change of mind is always possible, is welcome.”

Publishers Weekly

Listener Opinions

by Berta | 11/6/2016

" This was a very good book. It includes a lot of useful information on the topic. "

by Derek "Mindset" Becton | 6/2/2016

" A great book to open the minds of the closed minded! "

by Tori | 2/6/2014

" Had to read this for school professional development but I was pleasantly surprised. The writer could be redundant at times but most of what she said resonated with me. I recommend this for anyone who is "down on their luck" or needs a new, fresh perspective on life. "

" This was an interesting, self reflective read. I think everyone can have a fixed mindset in certain aspects of their life. I am eager to implement a growth mindset in more areas of my life and hopefully teach my children to do the same. "

" Mindset is a life changing book. I read this book as requested by the principal at my work, and I now view life through a different lense than I previously did. Mindset is full of examples comparing and contrasting the fixed and growth mindsets. No one should go through life without this information. Mindset teaches the reader the importance of self development and the sink or swin consequences of the fixed mindset. I recommend this book to everyone. It is the first truly life changing book I have had the pleasure to read. "

Iqbal Faisal | 1/22/2014

" I finish this book in just 2 days. Very nice reading. Sceptical about the depth at first but then realize the beauty of its simplicity. "

Caron | 1/18/2014

" A little repetitive. I found myself reminding my husband everytime he said something that was a fixed mindset. I think he was a little annoyed. It also made me more careful to choose my words. "

Audrey | 1/14/2014

" Dweck's work has been quoted in many books I've read over the past few years, so I had to read her book. I'm convinced that her idea about the importance of teaching kids a growth mindset & using growth mindset praise when working with kids is extremely valuable. "

Emily | 1/11/2014

" As some of the Amazon reviewers commented, this was a great article blown up into a book. The examples from different fields of endeavor felt like padding: same (very valid and interesting) point made over and over. I don't need to read about Jack Welch and Itzhak Perlman to get the idea. Also, for someone who's a professor at Stanford, the fact-checking was surprisingly sloppy: she says To Kill a Mockingbird centers around a murder trial, for example, and repeats some urban myths about the Columbine killers. It's well worth skimming, though, and she's sold me on the basic premise (go with a growth mindset versus fixed-ability mindset). "

Sarah Semple | 1/11/2014

" I liked the ideas included, but felt that it was repetitive and hard to get through at times. "

Brian | 11/11/2013

" Glad Natalie recommended I read this book. It put into words thoughts and impressions and knowledge that I had before reading it, and explained why I think a certain way. It also put some solid recommendations behind the knowledge, which I am already using. "

Bev | 11/10/2013

" This book explores the fixed and growth mindsets, with lots of examples and classroom-based studies. Lots of academic research here, but its interesting, no ponderous, and thought-provoking. "

Hilary | 9/9/2013

" Great book! Very inspiring. "

Gregory Kouba | 3/31/2013

" This was my first step in the path of positive psychology. It broke down barriers for me and helped me realize that happiness is waiting for us right behind our eyes. "

Randy | 11/19/2012

" This book changed my life. "

Stacia | 10/21/2012

" The jury is out... It's not so much that I disagree with the premise (don't know yet) but the STYLE is so damn repetitive, it is difficult to wade through. We shall see. This is one of the worst books I have ever read; the woman cannot write. Book rejected. "

Caitlin | 8/31/2012

" This is a very interesting book, particularly for people who work with kids. It's nothing mind-blowing, but it does phrase things in a way that makes sense. "

Dolly Chugh | 8/15/2012

" Carol Dweck is an incredible researcher who also knows how to translate her research into real-world impact. Love her work and love her book! "

Becca | 10/26/2011

" The concepts are really intriguing and useful and very applicable to life and relationships and raising kids, but the books itself is very repetitive and paints examples in very absolutist ways which I find less helpful. It's good to skim and get the info from. "

Ali | 2/17/2011

" Read this book. It changes everything. "

Mark | 10/16/2010

" Probably the most important book I've ever read. I don't normally recommend books, but I would recommend this to everyone. "

Janine | 7/5/2010

" This is one of those books that changes the way you view your world. I highly recommend it, especially for parents, teachers, or leaders! "

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